Universe ID: 11639

Mini Nebula

Story by Francis Reddy | Visualizations by Brian Monroe Released on September 11, 2014

Eta Carinae lies about 7,500 light-years away in the southern constellation of Carina and is one of the most massive binary star systems in our Milky Way galaxy. In the middle of the 19th century, it underwent an explosion that astronomers call the Great Eruption. As a part of this event, a gaseous shell containing at least 10 and perhaps as much as 40 times the sun's mass was shot into space. Using new observations, astronomers created the first high-resolution 3-D model of the expanding cloud produced by this outburst. The model suggests the twin-lobed dust-filled cloud known as the Homunculus Nebula—which is now about a light-year long and continues to expand at more than 1.3 million mph—was molded by interactions between Eta Carinae's two stars. Watch the video to learn more.

Astronomers imaged the nebula in multiple wavelengths along 92 separate swaths (blue), producing the most complete spectral map to date.

Imaging data was processed using 3-D modeling software to create this rendering that shows never-before-seen details of the nebula's shape.

For More Information

NASA.gov

Story Credits

Lead Visualizer/Animator:
Brian Monroe (USRA)

Visualizer/Animator:
Scott Wiessinger (USRA)

Video Editor:
Scott Wiessinger (USRA)

Producer:
Scott Wiessinger (USRA)

Project Support:
Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.)

Videographer:
Rob Andreoli (Advocates in Manpower Management, Inc.)

Lead Writer:
Francis Reddy (Syneren Technologies)

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Very Large Telescope image courtesy of ESO/G. Hüdepohl

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11639

Keywords:
SVS >> Astrophysics
SVS >> App
NASA Science >> Universe